Chordeiles acutipennis

Order

Family

Code 4

Code 6

ITIS

ILLUSTRATION

PHOTOS

CONSERVATION STATUS

The Lesser Nighthawk is evaluated as Least Concern at this time. This terrestrial bird species is native to South America, North America and Central America. The range of the Lesser Nighthawk is more than 2 million square kilometers. The population of this bird species is nearing 6 million individual birds. At this time the Lesser Nighthawk is not facing any immediate threats or dangers. The prior rating of the Lesser Nighthawk was Lower Risk. This rating was downgraded in 2004 to Least Concern due to its range and population.

Range and Habitat

Lesser Nighthawk: This species breeds across central California, Nevada, and southwestern Utah south across New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas, and into Mexico. A few individuals winter in southern Florida. They winter from mid-Mexico southward. These birds prefer large open areas, including arid and semi-arid lowlands.

Lesser Nighthawk SONGS AND CALLS

Lesser Nighthawk C1

Your browser does not support the audio element.

During breeding season typical call is a low, toad-like trill.

Lesser Nighthawk C2

Your browser does not support the audio element.

Flight call is a hoarse, chattering "kur-er-er".

Similar Sounding

Voice Text

"chack, chack"

INTERESTING FACTS

Lesser Nighthawks catch flying insects on the wing, mainly foraging near dawn and dusk (crepuscular), sometimes at night with a full moon or near street lighting.

Adults flushed from the nest may try to distract the intruder or defend the nest site by aerial attack.

Young birds sometimes perform a defense display by opening up their mouths and spreading their wings, looking to appear threatening and looking larger than they actually are before they run off.

A group of nighthawks are collectively known as a "kettle" of nighthawks.

SIMILAR BIRDS

RANGE MAP NORTH AMERICA

About this North America Map

This map shows how this species is distributed across North America.

FAMILY DESCRIPTION

Goatsuckers (Caprimulgidae)

ORDER

In the taxonomic order CAPRIMULGIFORMES (pronounced ka-pri-muhl-gih-FOR-meez), there are four families of birds; the frogmouths of Asia and Australia, the similar potoos of Central and South America, the Oilbird, and the nightjars.

FAMILY TAXONOMY

Ninety-two species of goatsuckers in sixteen genera are included in the Caprimulgidae (pronounced ka-pri-MUHL-gih-dee) family, a group found on all continents except for Antarctica.

NORTH AMERICA

In North America, twenty-three species of goatsuckers genera have occurred (including the extinct Jamaican Pauraque). Members of this family include the aerial nighthawks and the vociferous Whip-poor-will.

KNOWN FOR

The goatsuckers are known for their highly camouflaged (cryptic) plumage and for their distinctive vocalizations, the names of the Whip-poor-will and Chuck-will’s-widow actually sounding like their respective vocalizations.

PHYSICAL

Small to medium sized birds, members of the Caprimulgidae have large, rounded heads, long wings, longish tails, short legs, and small feet. Their bills are distinctive in being very short but with a wide gape that imparts a large-mouthed appearance upon opening the bill. Rictal bristles bordering the gape aid in catching insect prey.

COLORATION

Shades of brown mixed with gray, white, and black are the predominant colors in the plumages of nightjars. These form beautiful cryptic patterns that resemble dead leaves, rocky ground, and other natural backgrounds. White markings used for signaling are often found on the throat, in the wings, and on the tail.

GEOGRAPHIC HABITAT

Goatsuckers occur in habitats throughout North America except the tundra. The most widespread species is the Common Nighthawk, a bird of open country and clearings that has become adapted to nesting on the flat roofs of buildings. Other species are adapted to eastern and southern woodlands (the Whip-poor-will and Chuck-will’s-widow), non-forest habitats of the west (the Common Poorwill), and deserts (the Lesser Nighthawk). Two species are uncommon or rare – one in southern Florida (the Antillean Nighthawk), and another in southern Arizona (the Buff-collared Nightjar).

MIGRATION

All North American members are long distance migrants except for the Common Poorwill, a short distance migrant to Mexico.

HABITS

Although Common Nighthawks can occur in large flocks during migration, nightjars are typically solitary in nature, and are primarily nocturnal. Nighthawks can also be seen foraging at dusk and dawn as they flutter around for insects in the sky. The other nightjars forage by sallying for insects from perches on the ground or low vegetation.

CONSERVATION

Goatsuckers are not endangered in North America although populations of the Whip-poor-will have declined in the northeastern United States as a result of habitat destruction.

INTERESTING FACTS

To the delight of birders and dismay of some campers, the Whip-poor-will can sing for hours on end during the night. One bird was recorded singing its name over 1,000 times in a row.

The only bird known to hibernate, the Common Poorwill survives the desert winter in southern California by lowering its body temperature to that of its surroundings. The family name of Caprimulgidae literally means “goat sucker” and comes from the old (and incorrect) belief that these birds snuck into barns at night to feed from the udders of milk goats.